A conventional coolant recovery system includes a coolant reservoir disposed outside of an engine for storing a predetermined amount of coolant. The coolant reservoir is connected to the engine and a radiator by ventilation hoses. Therefore, vapors generated at the engine and the radiator are exhausted to the coolant reservoir through the ventilation hoses.
In addition, the coolant reservoir is also connected to the engine by a coolant supply line, so coolant is supplied to the engine through the coolant supply line when the engine becomes short of coolant.
The coolant reservoir is provided with a pressure cap, and an overflow hose is connected to the pressure cap such that air can be exhausted from the coolant reservoir when internal pressure within the reservoir becomes excessive.
Such a pressure cap of the coolant reservoir can be opened by anybody, so it can be easily lost or loosened.
A conventional coolant reservoir usually has many edges. As a result, different portions of the coolant reservoir receive different stresses due to the internal pressure in the coolant reservoir, and thereby portions receiving the most severe stresses can be easily cracked.
A radiator side ventilation hose connecting the radiator and the coolant reservoir is usually provided with a check valve for preventing reverse flow of air (or coolant) from the coolant reservoir to the radiator.
However, an engine side ventilation hose is not provided with such a check valve. Therefore, air from the coolant reservoir may possibly flow back to the engine through the engine side ventilation hose.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.